By Olivia Schanafelt/El Inde
This year was supposed to be a year of “lasts” and a year of maturing. Instead, it has turned into chaos, quickly.
As a senior, I was excited to spend my time cherishing my last exam, my last homework assignment and most importantly, my last time being an immature young adult with little-to-no responsibilities.
As I returned from my fun-filled spring break trip in Colorado, I got news that my senior year would be moving temporarily to online learning. This was a shock, as I thought something like this would never happen — and especially not this year.
As I came to the realization that my classes would be moved online, I thought this was the coolest thing ever: I could do work from home, never put on makeup again and enjoy binging Netflix all day. This soon came to a crashing halt when the University of Arizona announced that all classes would remain online through the remainder of the spring semester. My last semester, gone forever.
Given the quick pace with which Covid-19 is spreading, I believe it was smart for schools, businesses, restaurants and other populated areas to close. Most businesses have moved their employees to a work-from-home basis, restaurants have closed and are only offering takeout or delivery, and schools have completely closed and moved online.
As I returned to Tucson after spring break, I was hit with the realization that most of my friends were moving home to be with their parents. At the beginning of the quarantine order, I was in Tucson since I still had to work as a community assistant in the Sol y Luna apartment complex.
I came into contact with my coworkers and residents that lived in the building I worked in. I loved my job and the people I worked with. But this came to an end when our offices were forced to close to the public, and we had to switch to answering phones. We had to keep the front doors locked and not allow anyone in or out of the office. For me, this was a hard task.
Days soon became longer and residents became frustrated with these new rules. As an employee, my main focus is ensuring the safety and happiness of everyone I help. When our building was forced to close, so did its amenities, including the pool, gym and study room. After that, many people started moving out and the building quickly became a ghost town. After about two weeks of “work isolation” I decided it would be smart to pack my Tucson home up, leave the job I have loved for years and go home to Phoenix. Everything I knew and loved was coming to an end quicker than I imagined.
As I returned home, the transition was harder than I thought — it felt like I was in high school all over again. I was not only forced to stay home all day, but I had to stay home with my parents and siblings. It is easy to get on each others’ nerves when you are stuck at home all day with the same faces. Days felt like years and I soon realized there were only so many puzzles to complete before you lost your mind.
My year of celebration, my year of “lasts” and my year of maturing has turned into something else entirely. I am now facing the reality that the “real world” is just weeks away and I must finish my classes, graduate virtually and find a job quicker than I’d expected.